Bottle-capping machine.



L. O. GARMAN.

' BOTTLE GAP'PING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 20, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1,

L. G. GARMAN.

BOTTLE OAPPING MACHINE.

APPLIGATEON FILED DEC. 20, 1910.

Patented 001127, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

U STATES @FFTQE.

LAURITZ c. Gasman, cs BALTIMORE. MARYLAND. assmnon To THE onown c ean &seen COMPANY or BALTIMORE crrr, OF'BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A cOn-Pona'rIoNOF MARYLAND.

BOTTLE-CAPPING MACHINE.

aliases.

Specificaticii of Letters Patent.

Patented @ct. 27, 1914.

To (ZZZ iojiom it may concern Be it' known that I, LAURITZ C. GARHAN, acitizen of the United States, residing at laltiniore city, State ofMaryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBottletapping Machines, fully described and represented in the followingspecification and the accompanying .drawing... forming a part of thesame.

T his invention relates to certain improvements in bottle cappingmachines.

The invention has for one of its bjects to produce an automatic capsupplying mechanism for bottle capping machines which will be simple andeconomical in construction and which will operate to deliver the capswith certainty, the construction being such that liability of jamming orbreaking caps is decreased.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bottle capping machinehaving a capping head with a cap supplying mechanism including astationary hopper and improved devices by which the caps are con-- veyedfrom the hoppcrto the capping head.

ll'ith these and other objects not specifi cally referred to in view,the invention consists in certain constructions and in cer tain parts,improvements and combinations as will be hereinafter fully described andthen specifically pointed out.

Referring to the accompanying drawingsFigurc 1 illustrates, in sideelevation, a capping machine constructed in accordance with theinvention. Fig. 2 isa view similar to Fig. 1. certain parts being brokenaway and with the capping head in av different position, the front plateof the selecting cage being also removed."- Fig. 3 is a detail rearelevationillustrating more particularly the means for operating theselecting cage. Fig. e is a front elevation of the construction shown inFig. .1 with certain parts removed. Fig. 5 is a detail view on a largescale, illustrating the interior construction of the hopper, and theconnection.

of the cap carrying chute therewith. Fig. 6 is a detail plan view.

Referring to the drawings, in the particular construction which has beenselected to illustrate the invention, 1 indicates a frame or standard inwhich the several parts of the machine are supported. The constructionincludes a bottle support, as 2,

which may be of any approved type, that shown being adjustable in theOrdinary 'ay, by means of a screw 3. In the particular constructionillustrated, the caps are applied by means of a capping'hcad, the detailCODSlLLUGiLlOH of which may be widely varied. The head is conventionallyillustrated at i. and it may correspond in con.

struction with the capping head now largely employed in applying thewell-known crown cork, the construction of such heads being familiar tothose skilled in the art. In constructions embodying the invention inits best form this capping head, whatever be its construction, will bemovable toward and away from the bottle support. \Vhile the HIQQHSTOIreciprocating the head may be varied, as shown, the head is providedwith an extension 5 secured to an operating rod6 working through acolumn 7 attached to the frame 1. In the particular constructionillustrated, the head is reciprocated from a power-shaft 8, providedwith a crank 9 connected by i eans of a link 10 to the operat ing rod.The operation of this power shaft may, as is common in such machines, becontrolled from a clutch, not shown, operated by a trcadle 11,constructions of this character being well-known to those skilled in theart. If desired, the capping head may be provided with a guidingextension, as 12, working in a guide 18 forming the part of a collarli-claniped to the column 7.

The cap supplying devices employed will, as usual in such cmistructions.include a lt( 1)111', ,21i1(l in the best constructions, this hopperwill be stationary. lYhile the particular construction of the hopperand. the manner of mounting; it may be-varied, as illustrated, thehopper 13 is mounted on a rod' 16 the-lower end of which is secured in aclamp collar 17 bolted to tho column 7. The upper end of the rod 16 fitsin a socket 18 formed in the hopper casting. aset screw, as 15), beingemployed, if desired, to hold the hopper firmly on the rod. Thisconstrue ticn permits the hopper to be readily placed in position, andalso enables this position to be accurately adjusted with respect to thecap applying head.

The delivery of'the-caps from the hopper may be effected byconstruct-ions which may be considerably varied. as shown, the hopper isprovided with a bearing 20 in which fits a. shouldered sleeve 21, thesleeve serving to support a shaft 22. This shaft has secured to itsforward end a selecting cage, the front side of which consists, asshown, of a reticulated conical plate 23 and the rear side of whichconsists of a. plate Zel, these plates being connected, in any suitablemanner as by bolts 25. This cage fits into and rotates entirely within acircular opening 26 in the front side of the hopper. The selecting cagewill be in open communication with the hopper, so that thchopper may befilled with caps and the caps pass from the hopper into the cage. In theparticular construction illustrated, the connection between the hopperand the cage is effected by providing the plate 24 with a centrallydisposed orifice 27. In the best constructions this orifice will beprovided with an enlargement on one side,

the purpose of which is to prevent the bindmass of caps to sag forwardsomewhat and at the same time any caps which may be jammed will ride upthe regular curve, so as to prevent choking. 5

The cage will be provided with selecting openings, as usual inconstructions of this character. While these may be formed in variousways, in the construction illustrated, the openings are formed byshouldered pins 30; .The hopper is intended to supply the well-knowncrown corks which have an at,-

taching skirt flared outwardly at the base, so

that the diameter of the crown at the base is considerably greater thanat the top. The shouldered pins, therefore, form selecting openingswhich will permit the crowns to pass through only when the interior ofthe crowns faces the reticulated plate of the cage. The hopper isprovided with a cap receiving channel 31 into which the crowns aredelivered from the selecting openings if they are in proper position topass through them. It may happen that the crowns will be cooked or willenter the selecting openings in such a way as to be caught therein, andwhen this happens the cage will continue to rotate but some of theselecting openingsmay be closed by the improperly caught crowns. Toprevent this, in the best constructions means will be provided forpositively removing improperly caught crowns from the selectingopenings. While the constru ction of the means employed may be varied,as shown there is provided a tappet consisting of a bent spring 32 whichmay be secured to-the outer side of the cap receiving channel.

The means employed for rotating the selecting cage maybe varied. Asshown, the outer end of the shaft 22 has secured to it a ratchet wheel33 on the hub of which are pivoted pawl carryingarms as provided with anoperating pawl 35, the construction being the usual one. The arms 3&have connected to them a jointed operating rod 36- passing through aguide 37 secured to the extension 5 of the capping head. Springs 38 maybe provided located above and below the guide 37, these springssurrounding the rod 36 and being held in position by clamp nuts 89, theobject of the springs being to cushion the stroke of the operating rodin each direction.

While the construction by which the caps are conveyed from the capsupplying hopper to theeapping head may be varied, it will include achute. When, as in the best constructions embodying the invention, thehopper is a stationary hopper, this chute should be composed of aplurality of members which are so connected as to have a movement withrespect to each other, the chute being thus made extensible tocompensate for the varying positions of the head without breaking itsconnection with either the hopper or .the head. While the extensibilityof the chute may be obtained in varlous ways, in the particularconstruction illustrated, the chute comprises joint ed members. Asshown, the caps pass from the channel 31 to a chute member 40 pivoted at41 to the casting which forms the hopper. The chute further includes amember 42 pivoted at 43 to the member 40, and a member 44 carried on thecapping head and delivering the caps to the interior thereof, the,member 42 being pivoted to the member M at 45. This jointed constructionprovides for the vertical reciprocating movement of the cap applyinghead, and, furthermore, as the capping head moves up and down, theshifting of the members tends to prevent the caps from becoming lodgedor caught in the chute. The sides of the members 40, 42 and 44; may beprovided with slots 46, if desired, so that if a cap should be caughtthe chute, notwithstanding the movement given the members, it may bereadily dislodged.

It will be understood that the construction of the hopper and chuteprovides for ready delivery of a sufficient supply of caps for cappingpurposes. Further, by making the hopper stationary, as in theconstruction shown, the hopper with its load of caps does not have to beraised and lowered as the capping head does, thereby relieving theoperating mechanism of the strains incident to raising and lowering thehopper.

It will be understood that changes and variations may be made in theconstruction by which the invention claimed is carried into effect; Theinvention claimed, therefore, is not to be confined to'the particularconstruction herein shownand' described.

.What is claimed is 1. In a bottle capping machine, the combination with'a bottle support and a cap ping head, of a cap supplying hopperembodying a rotary cage provided with select ing openings, a springtappet mounted outside the cage and arranged to enter said openings forpositively removing from said openings any caps which may have beencaught therein, and a chute for conveying the caps from the hopper tothe head.

I 2.In a capping machine, a cap supplying hopper embodying a rotaryselecting cage having a rear wall, said wall being provided with acentrally disposed delivery orificewhich is enlarged at one side toprevent choking.

having a, rear wall, said wall beingprovided with a, centrally disposeddelivery orifice, said orifice having a substantially circular contourfor a considerable-part of itscircumference and an irregularly formedenlargementto prevent choking.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set .my hand, in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

LAURIIZ c; GARMAN.

Witnesses: f WILLIAM H. WHEELER, GEO. C. SEGERMAN.

